Pele predicted an African nation would win thsporte World Cup by the year
2000. That didn't happen, but stars from the continent have nevertheless
thrilled for decades.

And with the Africa Cup of Nations underway in Angola, the latest
episode of The List trumpets the greatest players from the continent in
history.

From
Ghana's Abedi Pele to 'King' George Weah, Africans have wowed the world
with their pace, dazzling ball control and athleticism.

Week after week we toil over our selections, and like nothing more than hearing your thoughts.

As
a caveat for the eagle-eyed out there, Mozambique-born Portuguese
legend Eusebio does not feature as our List only concerns those born in
Africa who played for an African nation.

10) Lucas Radebe (South Africa)

Radebe remains a hero over at Elland Road after his time in Yorkshire
left an indelible mark on the club he captained just before the
financial implosion which sent them spinning down the leagues.

The former Kaiser Chiefs centre-back could have formed a family team if
he'd wanted to - he is one of 11 siblings. He made his international
debut on July 7, 1992 against Cameroon before moving to the Premier
League in 1994.

He was a member of the South Africa team that won the Africa Cup of
Nations in 1996 and captained Bafana Bafana in the 1998 and 2002 World
Cups.

Captain fantastic: Lucas Radebe in action for South Africa against Denmark at the 1998 World Cup finals

9) Kanu (Nigeria)

Kanu's time in European football has lasted 17 years, a successful time
which has seen him become the most decorated African footballer in
history.

A Champions League and UEFA Cup winner, he has two Premier League
titles and three FA Cup winners' medals. He really has done the lot.

Testament to his time at Arsenal, he was voted 13th in the Gunners'
Greatest 50 Players pols, ahead of such luminaries as David O'Leary,
Sol Campbell and Pat Rice.

Decorated: Kanu in action for Nigeria against Angola in a World Cup qualifier in 2005

8) Tony Yeboah (Ghana)

Yeboah scored 25 goals in 48 league appearances for Leeds United, but that only tells part of the story - he set the Premier League alight with
some of the most ferocious goals we have ever seen, with a huge grin
fixed to his face.

Yeboah loved to score for his national side, too - he bagged 29 goals
in 59 appearances, the second highest goalscoring total in the nation's
history behind Abedi Pele.

Two years in England may not have resulted in any trophies but his
gift to the league was some great goals. He even managed to win
back-to-back Goal of the Month awards in 1995.

Yeboah: in action for Ghana against Zaire in the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations

7) Hossam Hassan (Egypt)

Evergreen goalscorer, hero, legend, recored breaker - just some of the
words you need to describe Hassan who amassed 169 caps for Egypt, and
scored 69 goals, both of which remain national records.

He will be remembered by many after appearing for his country at the
1990 World Cup, where they were unlucky to be eliminated after two
draws and the narrow 1-0 defeat to England after Mark Wright‘s headed
goal sent them out.

Egypt legend: Hassan playing against Tunisia at the Africa Cup of Nations in 2000

6) Michael Essien (Ghana)

Don't pigeon-hole Essien, admittedly best known for being a box-to-box
midfielder - he can score goals, too - see his memorable strikes
against Barcelona in the Champions League last season and another
stunner against Blackburn.

The Bison was, for a time, the most expensive African player of all
time until Emmanuel Adebayor’s move to Manchester City last year and
the two-times French Ligue 1 winner with Lyon became a Premier League
champion with Chelsea in 2005.

Midfield star: Michael Essien in action for Ghana against Japan last year

5) Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon)

The former Real Madrid and Barcelona star has been a cut above the rest
for many years. His tenacity and skill have made him one of this
generation’s finest strikers.

Eto'o scored more than 100 goals in five seasons with Barcelona, and his
early goal in last season's Champions League final win over Manchester United made him only the second player to have ever scored in two separate
Champions League finals.

He was a member of the Cameroon national team that memorably won gold at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, and also featured in two World Cups and five Africa Cup
of Nations tournaments.

One of the very best: Samuel Eto'o scores for Cameroon against Sudan at the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations

4) Jay-Jay Okocha (Nigeria)

‘So good, they named him twice’ is the famous quote about the
talismanic Nigerian who arrived at the Reebok seemingly in his twilight. But he was a revelation in four years with Bolton.

The Africa Cup of Nations (1994) and Olympics gold medallist (1996)
with Nigeria helped the Potters avoid relegation, took them to their
final in nine years - the League Cup Final in 2004 which they lost to
Middlesbrough - and into Europe for the first time in their history.

So good they named him twice: Okocha in action for Nigeria against Ivory Coast in the 2006 africa Cup of Nations

3) Roger Milla (Cameroon)

It was all about the dance, the smile and the goals as the then
37-year-old lit up the World Cup in 1990 as the Indomitable Lions
almost went all the way to the final during a memorable tournament run
- courtesy of Milla’s goals.

Even his name is entertaining - Albert Roger Mooh Milla was voted one
of the 125 greatest living football players in 2004 by the Pele but
many young football fans around the world showed their own appreciation
of Milla when, after scoring a goal, they'd run up to the corner flag and
do that dance.

He had retired from international football
three years before Italia 90, but we're glad he had a change of heart
and brought a smile to all those who watched him score four goals at
the World Cup 20 years ago.

Unforgettable: Roger Milla runs past Colombia goalkeeper Jose Higuita on the way to scoring at the 1990 World Cup finals

2) Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast)

As strong as any forward to have played the game, Drogba is a mountain of a man to match his his personality and appetite for goals.

However, the former Le Mans, Guingamp and Marseille striker isn't all about power and hustle, he has the technique and finishing ability to match any other goalscorer the game has ever seen.

Two Premier League titles and a brace of FA Cups have come in his six years at Stamford Bridge and the way he's knocking them in this season, who's to say he wont have added to that tally come May?

Simply brilliant: Drogba scores for Ivory Coast against Guinea at the Africa Cup of Nations in 2008

1) George Weah (Liberia)

A remarkable man who has enjoyed just as exciting a career on the pitch
as he has experienced off it. Weah is a character who rates as our top
African player of all time, not just by virtue of the strength of his
personality, but because he had real talent on it.

By his own admission, he was a criminal and gang member in his youth
but football got him out of his country - in 1995 he was voted world
footballer of the year while with Paris Saint-Germain, he also ended up
living in New York and commuting to training sessions in Monaco by
Concorde. Such was the life of Weah.

World, European and African Player of the Year in his time, Weah scored
goals at every club he went to and won league titles in France and
Italy with PSG and AC Milan respectively.

And when his career ended, such was his popularity in his native
Liberia that he ran (unsuccessfully) for President. Quite a character,
certainly a fine player and easily our No 1.

Our number one: Liberian star George Weah playing against Nigeria in 2001